


Solitudinem

by TooManyBooksToRead



Series: LU Madoka AU [2]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Alternate Universe - Madoka Magica Fusion, Gen, More character will be tagged as they appear, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Spoilers, rating may change this is after all a madoka au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2020-10-04 13:38:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20471924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooManyBooksToRead/pseuds/TooManyBooksToRead
Summary: Loneliness is overwhelming, it has a way of seeping into your bones, wearing you down from the inside out.It always hurts the most when it comes from loss.Or Legend is a Puer Magi and he has always been and will always be alone.





	1. Hope

Legend has been a Puer Magi for a long time and he’s spent most of that time alone. 

That's alright, having more people in his life means there’s more to lose and he doesn’t fancy the idea of losing more people, as far as he’s concerned it’s him and his uncle and the Witches he fights that’s all that matters in the world. 

He’s gotten used to the grind of hunting down Witches and the terrain of his territory when the old man stumbles across him. It’s kind of a stretch to call him old man, he’s barely a year or two older than him, but the other Magi is ferocious in battle. 

They fight over the grief seed the Witch drops and the wanderer—he has to be a wanderer to have stumbled into the city not knowing it was a claimed territory and without picking a fight with him, not intentionally at least—looks so worn down that Legend caves and gives it to him. “Next time you stumble into someone else’s territory you should be more considerate, not all Magi will be as lenient,” he says as he de-transforms to save energy, “save yourself some grief and leave the city.” 

The other stays silent as he cleanses his Soul Gem, he looks at him with this weirdly inquisitive look in his eyes, it feels like he’s looking right through him and his unnerving gaze keeps him pinned in place no matter how much he needs to get back home to his uncle. 

“I’m staying.” The taller blonde says resolutely and Legend can tell he means it, this guy isn’t leaving, and as he de-transforms too he spots a gash on his side and a noticeable limp. 

He hasn’t healed himself, it may take some magic but he’s just gotten a grief seed and anyone worth anything at this can tell you that not healing yourself after a hunt is crippling yourself, so maybe he isn’t dealing with a wanderer but rather a newbie. That would certainly explain his reckless fighting and disregard for a claimed territory. 

Legend turns his back for a moment – risky move but a newbie won’t strike him in the back – and he thinks, he could just leave him to figure himself out like he did, as they all do, but seeing this kid that can’t even heal himself stirs up some of those protective instincts in him. 

“Follow me,” he says as he leaves the alley where the Witch had spawned and slipping into the crowd outside. Then just for insurance, he pushes his thoughts forward through the link with Kyubey. _Meet me in the East Side Bridge in half an hour and we’ll get you trained up newbie._

He slips between people through busy streets and side alleys until he reaches the bridge and then he leans on the bannister and waits. After the first 15 minutes, he resolves he can wait another hour before he’s really pushing it with making it back home. 

The other does show up. Almost an hour late and still limping but he’s there, Legend doesn’t have much time so he gets right to the point. “Do you have any school or job?” The taller blonde shakes his head so Legend continues, “We’ll meet here at this point every day at six, I’ll show you the ropes and we’ll go on hunts together. As soon as you can fend for yourself I want you out of my territory.” 

The other Magi looks perplexed, which is valid, _he_ certainly wouldn’t have expected help from another Magi, much less one he didn’t know at all, but the guy nod with that certainty that permeates his movements even through his sloppy fighting. This willingness to take on any challenge in front of him, whatever his wish was this guy definitely has the determination to be a good Puer Magi. But for all his determination he’s inexperienced and naïve, had Legend not been there for that fight it is likely he’d have died, only making the witch stronger. 

This guy is certainly lucky, had this been the territory of a Puella Magi he’d have been obliterated or left behind as Witch fodder, something about the experience of their girl counterparts makes them more jaded, more cynical, more aggressive, they aren’t all like that but he’s always a bit more cautious of them. 

“Well,” legend says snapping out of his thoughts, “I can't stay for much longer today but our first order of business is teaching you how to heal yourself.” He says this resolutely as he watches Kyubey come from the shadows and settle across the boy’s shoulders, he’d have thought the creature would tell a new contractee how to do that. 

Shaking off the uneasiness at Kyubey’s consistent habit of withholding information he pulls off his ring and pulls out his Soul Gem, the gem is a nice shade of fuchsia and specks of black can be seen swirling on its surface, he ignores that and motions the other to do the same, once he has mirrored his action he shows him how to channel the magic into his wound so it’ll heal faster. 

The other guy – he really should get his name – stares in wonder as his wound closes up, the magic shimmering until the cut is gone like it was never there, as soon as he’s all healed up Legend starts walking towards the main street. 

“Well kid, it’s been a pleasure, see you tomorrow.” 

“My name isn’t kid.” His voice is quiet but steady, he’s sure he wants to do this, if he weren’t he’d take being called kid and buzz off. 

“Well _kid_,” he looks over his shoulder before finishing, “what should I call you then?” 

“Time.” 

_Legend_. 

He answers through their psychic link. 

Legend is used to being alone, especially as a Puer Magi. But maybe he won’t have to be. 


	2. Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Legend needs to learn how to people again but of course he doesn't

They settle into a comfortable rhythm, they meet on the bridge every evening for training and then head out to hunt and put all the things the kid is supposed to learn in practice.

Time is surprisingly a fast learner, he gets most of the stuff Legend explains to him within his first few tries and coupled with his high power output they’re slaying witches efficiently enough for Grief Seeds not to be a problem.

It’s comfortable, maybe even enjoyable he thinks one day as they sit on the rooftop of a building after taking down the Witch lurking inside it.

He wouldn’t mind their partnership being a permanent arrangement.

It really was a wonder that he stuck around in the first place, Legend would be the first to admit he wasn’t a great teacher and he was also not an easy person to be around.

But despite all of that, despite his less than welcoming attitude and his shabby teaching and his insistence on pushing away the other Magi he’d soon become a part of his life. Slowly but surely the little shit had wormed his way past his walls and made himself a comfortable niche in his heart and Legend was really not sure how to feel about that.

He’d forgotten what having a friend was like. Because no matter how much he tries to deny it Time is his friend and he’d like for them to stay friends.

But he also knows that Time is restless, that he feels a need to always save everyone, he has a soft heart and that is always the undoing of Magi.

But then again who is he to talk about going soft when he’s welcomed another Magi into his territory to share very limited resources.

“Hey Veteran, still with me?” Time’s voice breaks his train of thought, soft yet clear over the noise of the city.

He’s like that, careful and kind, maybe all that softness is how he managed to smooth some of Legend’s rough edges.

“Of course I am kid,” he quips back standing up and stretching, “now get on your feet so we can get you home before your girlfriend panics.”

Time blushes and fumbles through his well-rehearsed speech about how Malon isn’t his girlfriend and really how did Legend even get that idea and all those other excuses he has for anytime Legend brings up his relationship with her in conversation, but he’s vehemently avoiding eye contact with Legend which does nothing for his case.

“You’re the worst,” huffs the taller blonde as they make their way down the rickety fire escape, “How’d I get stuck with an asshole like you?” he asks making a laughably stupid woe is me expression while he leans dramatically on the handrail.

The rusted metal creaks under his weight and he stumbles as it gives beneath him. Legend grabs his arm back in time to haul him back before he tumbles over the edge.

“Careful Rapunzel,” he says, “falling down a fire escape would be a pitiful death for a Witch hunter like you.”

They don’t say anything about how Legend keeps holding onto Time until they’ve gotten to solid ground, instead turning to more secure topics like how Legend hates having to go to school and how much of a lucky bastard Time is.

The walk back to Talon’s farm at the edge of town is meandering and filled with laughter and when they finally reach the door Malon insists on having Legend stay over for dinner, and since he doesn’t have the heart to deny her offer he shoots his uncle a text that he’ll be home late and joins them at the table.

They share a hearty meal and Time blushes every time his hand brushes against Malon’s – he’s definitely gonna make fun of him for that later – and Legend feels happy in a way he hasn’t felt since the accident.

He definitely wouldn’t mind things staying like this.

But he knows he can’t stay in this happy nebulous middle of the road forever, he’ll have to choose unless he wants to be run over.

One day he decides to finally settle things.

They meet where they usually do, on the East Side Bridge where it all began.

There’s tension in the air when Time arrives, Legend wishes he didn’t have to do this.

“Well I’ve taught you just about as much as I can teach you, kid,” he says removing a sword from his pouch, “it’s about time you scram.” He says it with a conviction he doesn’t have, willing himself to push Time away before he can hurt him.

Time, silly, kind Time who loves to play pranks on people and whose eyes crinkle when he smiles, who snorts when he laughs and who blushes at the mere idea of maybe liking Malon.

“Legend what is this?” he asks shifting into a defensive position.

Time standing in front of him looking like something in the world has broken, Time who never quite got why Magi don’t get along and work together.

“We had a deal, I teach you the ropes and you leave my territory once it’s over,” it hurts to get the words out, to push away his only friend but he knows it to be for the best.

“And if I don’t want to?” he asks looking at Legend defiantly.

Legend raises his sword to point at Time, still standing with that same determination he saw the day they met.

“If you won't leave then I’ll make sure you don’t have the chance to,” he answers.

Time looks thoughtful for a second and Legend prays to Hylia he’ll take that offer because he’s seen what happens to Magi who work together, he’s seen the remnants of the barn at the edge of the next city where two Puella Magi fought each other for control of the territory, he’s heard the horror stories from wanderers about how a brother-sister Magi team got tag teamed by surrounding Magi afraid they’d be overpowered and run out, he’s met the girl who runs the nearest claimed territory on a school trip and still remembers her whispered threat of _run along back to your own city little Puer_ as she pointed a gun to his temple.

Time doesn’t back down – but as much as he doesn’t want to kill him he didn't really think he would – instead he holds up his hands like he’s giving up and starts walking until his chest is inches from Legend’s sword.

“Why don’t you cut me a deal? For old times sake?” he asks.

Legend raises an eyebrow, “And what exactly would this deal be?”

“We fight, right here right now, if I win we become partners,” he says.

Legend scoffs, “And what would I get out of this?”

“Well if I lose I’d be out of your hair, I’d leave with no resistance,”

Legend does his best to hide his pride, Time has learned well if he was able to see past his bluff, but this isn’t what he wants at all.

Instead of saying any of those things he laughs, “And what tells you I won’t be aiming for killing blows?”

“Won’t you humour me? If died I’d be out of your hair anyway.”

“I’d rather not waste magic on this,” Legend says with a grimace.

“I’m not leaving so you’ll have to fight me either way,” Time says before finishing more quietly, “wouldn’t you rather we break off as friends?”

It’s the look in his eyes that finally gets him to break, Time looks so unbearably sad, it looks wrong on his face.

So he cracks a grin and allows Time to back away.

“I won’t pull my punches old man!”

He can see a sliver of a smile on Time’s face as he whips out his weapons, a pair of very sharp hooks attached each to a retracting chain.

“As if I’d lose to old blood like you!”

Later Legend will deny he was indeed pulling at least some of his punches, and he’ll remember the sheer amount of power Time released as he moved seemingly blinking in and out of existence. They’ll sit side by side exhausted on the ground with a heavy chain still wrapped around most of Legend’s upper body and he’ll tell himself that maybe they can make this work.

And for a while it kind of does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I gave up on writing the fight scene? I'd be happy to hear any feedback you have and thank you for reading this!

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a long series of snapshots, now it's this. The angst will come soon, it always does.


End file.
